Gada

---- Chongming Sect, Council Hall

Even Gada, a Buddhist disciple of Original Response Temple, raised his teacup to take a sip, he still couldn't help but glance at Sect Leader Kang Da out of the corner of his eye.

The latter had a warm smile and did not appear to have any fierceness at all, which was quite inconsistent with Kang Dabao's infamous reputation in Cloud Horn Prefecture, which was enough to make children cry.

In truth, the Chongming Sect has never stopped its efforts to eradicate Evil Cultivator. However, in the past, the scope of these efforts was mainly limited to the two counties of Ping and Jin, as well as the territory of more than four hundred families in Cold Crow Mountain. The Chongming Sect had not paid much attention to the territories of the other families in the Double Brightness Alliance.

At most, Sect Leader Kang Da would occasionally meet with one of the leaders and subtly inquire about their affairs, thus fulfilling his duty.

The pain of punishment doesn't last until it falls on your own body. A year or two ago, people in Cloud Horn Prefecture might have enjoyed praising Sect Leader Kang Da for being "good at bullying women," but nowadays, such people are extremely rare.

This reputation was reversed because of the massacre of the various families in Cloud Horn Prefecture. In the past, the families only regarded greedy officials like Tie Liuyun as cruel officials, but it was only after Kang Dabao truly took control of a prefecture that others realized the true meaning of the word "cruel official".

Tie Liuyun mostly only seeks wealth, but if you can be "sensible and generous," you can usually save your own life.

However, Kang Dabao, the newly Marquis of Martial Peace, is different. The Chongming Sect disciples who were being suppressed everywhere have developed the habit of "enlightening the law and assisting the teachings" because of his influence. So far, there have been very few Evil Cultivator forces that have avoided being destroyed by entrusting their wives and children to others.

Rumors circulate that since the Office of the Duke of Qin moved north, at least half of the cultivators in the once bustling Cloud Horn Prefecture have left. Of those remaining half, some were captured and killed by the disciples of the Chongming Sect, while others were forced to leave by the harsh punishments of the Marquis of Martial Peace's Residence. In just one or two years, another thirty percent have disappeared.

This statement is likely not entirely wrong. It is widely rumored that a seasoned official, who had been strictly enforcing the population tax for the past year or two, had roughly calculated the population of Cloud Horn Prefecture and concluded that the current population was not much different from that of the Niu and Yue families when they were on equal footing.

Decades ago, Kuang Liuting's arrival brought a bizarre kind of excitement to Cloud Horn Prefecture, but decades later, he took it all with him.

However, Kang Dabao was not in a hurry. The six prominent families from the capital region who had been chosen by the Ying Prefecture Fei Household to provide Fei Shuhe with some dowry had already set off and would arrive in Cloud Horn Prefecture soon.

It would be better to wipe out these Evil Cultivator forces hiding in Cloud Horn Prefecture as soon as possible, making room for these righteous people.

Buddhist disciple Gada didn't hold Sect Leader Kang Da in high regard because of the rumors circulating outside that he was "ruthless and cruel." After all, even if Chongming Sect had recently gained some fearsome reputation, how could the number of cultivators it had harmed compare to even a fraction of the lives taken by Original Response Temple on the Snow Mountain?

Original Response Temple is highly accomplished in this field; even in the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, it would be difficult to find another sect that can rival them.

The reason why Gada was somewhat wary and curious about Kang Dabao was because the latter's spiritual energy was indeed much stronger than he had imagined before he came.

In fact, even if Sect Leader Kang Da did eliminate Funeng, his rival, in the Xiezhi Prison, Gada never really took him seriously.

After all, if Funeng hadn't received the favor of Abbot Chan Master Gelie of Original Response Temple, he would have been far inferior to Gada, the Buddhist disciple, no matter how you looked at it.

The title of the so-called first abbot of Original Response Temple in contemporary times is not worth mentioning in Gada's opinion.

If it weren't for Funeng encounters, Gada, as the foremost among his peers at Original Response Temple, might not have given the former a second glance. It was only after Chan Master Gelie's promise in court that Gada began to take this junior brother seriously.

Therefore, Gada believed that even if Kang Dabao had some luck that surpassed Funeng's, their abilities were roughly equal.

But after actually meeting Sect Leader Kang Da today, Gada realized that he had misunderstood before. Based on what he saw today, the latter did not think he had the ability to defeat Kang Dabao with certainty.

This was quite different from what he had anticipated. All the thoughts he had prepared vanished in an instant, so he didn't rush to speak. Instead, he sat opposite Kang Dabao, sipping tea and listening to the wind.

The latter's composure was much better than Gada had imagined. Seeing that Gada remained silent, Kang Dabao also kept quiet, acting just like a proper waiter, adding water and refilling tea.

It was quite rare that Sect Leader Kang Da, after initially being slightly surprised by the sudden arrival of this large group of Buddhist disciples, did not show any astonishment afterward.

Although Original Response Temple belongs to a Buddhist sect, it actually has many different lineages and their strengths in practice are not entirely the same.

Buddhist Gada is a disciple of the lineage of Jiada, the head monk of the Mysterious Transformation Hall at Original Response Temple. This lineage Buxiu the Dharma form, but only focuses on the physical body.

When disciples of the same lineage as Gada fight with others, they mostly rely on their physical strength to defend themselves, and they rarely use Law Artifact or Law Treasure. Moreover, they are brave and fierce, which has brought Original Response Temple a reputation for being daring to fight.

However, in terms of his ability to cultivate his mind, the Buddhist Gada is not particularly outstanding.

After a period of silent exchange, Gada couldn't resist the urge to speak first:

"Sect Leader Kang has accomplished a great deal in Ying Prefecture. Gada has been in seclusion cultivating until now, and only now has he had the time to express his gratitude to Sect Leader Kang."

"You're too kind, disciple of Buddhism," Sect Leader Kang Da nodded and smiled faintly, but a sense of vigilance also arose within him.

After all, Gada's sudden visit could, strictly speaking, even disrupt the tacit understanding between the two families. This is not the usual style of the Buddhist monks from the Great Snow Mountain, so they must be very careful to avoid being easily devoured.

"Not at all. Just as Abbot Gada of Head Jiada said before, since Sect Leader Kang has removed a thorn in my side, he has also gained my friendship, a friendship stronger than the eternal ice on the Great Snow Mountain."

The monks of the Snowland Esoteric Buddhism are different. If it were Exoteric Buddhism practitioner of the exoteric school like Buse, how could they speak so simply and directly? The koans they utter would require you to ponder for ten days or half a month before you could respond.

However, whether it was Sect Leader Kang Da or not, he felt that Gada's eyes were much more sincere when he arrived, not like he was just trying to deceive him. But at the same time, Kang Dabao's vigilance did not relax in the slightest.

The person before me was someone who had mastered nine out of the sixteen major teachings of the Original Response Temple and understood most of the essence of the three hundred and sixty-five esoteric Esoteric Buddhism doctrines. Even among the disciples of Buddhism throughout history, his abilities were outstanding, and he was no ordinary person.

He tentatively took something out of his Storage Bag and said calmly, "I am humbled. The success of this matter is largely due to the power of the Ancient Demon Ring borrowed by Senior Jiada. I dare not accept such a precious treasure. Please take it back with you, and convey my gratitude to Head Jiada for lending this treasure..."

A glint of shrewdness flashed in the eyes of the Buddhist Gada opposite him, but he quickly waved his hands, saying, "Does Sect Leader Kang think I'm a debt collector?! I've come here to express my gratitude, with no other intentions. Please, Sect Leader Kang, do not misunderstand."

Seeing that Kang Dabao showed no intention of taking back the ring, Gada's eyes dimmed, replaced by a sorrowful expression. "My master passed away before the New Year to serve the Great Radiance Buddha."

The former's brow twitched upon hearing this, for the abbot of Original Response Temple, Head Jiada, was no ordinary high-ranking monk.

He was only four hundred years old, yet he had already reached the Late-Stage Golden Core realm, making him one of the few cultivators in Original Response Temple who had the potential to become a Nascent Soul. It was quite strange that such a person would pass away so quietly in the Zen monastery of Original Response Temple.

The sudden demise of such a figure, without a sound from the entire Original Response Temple, demonstrates the depth of his foundation. Even the loss of one or two top-tier Golden Core cultivators had no impact on his strength.

Kang Dabao, a character well-versed in stories, was only slightly surprised upon hearing this, but the sorrow on his face was naturally revealed.

"Oh dear... this... Buddhist disciple, please forgive me, it's all my fault for speaking carelessly! I never imagined that Head Jiada had already passed away."

Compared to Sect Leader Kang Da's meticulous acting, Gada's expression of sorrow was not strong. He did not continue the conversation with Kang Dabao, but instead turned his gaze to the Ancient Demon Ring in the latter's palm.

To be honest, while this kind of treasure is not of high quality, it does not require refining and can be used immediately. It also has some restraining effect on Buddhist cultivators, making it quite rare in this world.

However, Gada's perspective, he wouldn't value this ring highly.

With a smile, he formed a flower-picking hand seal with both hands. Then, the dark ancient ring in the hands of the Sect Leader Kang Da was enveloped by his Divine Sense, with the intention of returning it to his Storage Bag.

However, things did not develop as Gada had expected. Just as the Ancient Demon Ring was raised an inch in Kang Dabao's palm, its movement suddenly froze, and an overwhelming Divine Sense pressed down, almost shattering Gada's Divine Sense.

The Buddhist disciple from Original Response Temple's expression suddenly tightened, his surprise almost impossible to conceal. He then sighed inwardly, "This fellow's Divine Sense is incredibly powerful; even Middle Stage of Golden Core cultivator might not possess such profound depth!"

He was decisive, persisting for a few more breaths before stopping the probing attack when he realized that Sect Leader Kang Da's Divine Sense had not diminished.

Gada slowly opened his hands, which were adorned with flower-shaped fingers, and two pale yellow Buddhist lights vanished rapidly with two barely audible sound waves. The Divine Sense imprint that had been floating an inch above the Sect Leader Kang Da also completely disappeared.

As the Ancient Demon Ring, now freed from its grip, returned to Kang Dabao's hands, Gada's praises rang in his ears once more:

"Sect Leader Kang are even more formidable than my master described, demonstrating my master's exceptional insight. He truly did not entrust this Ancient Demon Ring to the wrong person. In that case, how can I, as his disciple, have the face to take it back?!"

Upon hearing this, Kang Dabao stopped insisting. He slowly put the Ancient Demon Ring into his Storage Bag, thinking to himself, "If I ever use this on you in the future, don't blame me."

Upon arriving here, the powerful Sect Leader Kang Da, who had already demonstrated his abilities, was finally able to confirm that Gada's visit was not malicious. However, he still didn't know the latter's purpose for his sudden visit. Fortunately, before he could ask, the Buddhist disciple from Original Response Temple spoke up first:

"To be honest, Sect Leader Kang, I have another important matter to ask of you."

"Why be so polite, Buddhist disciple? Please speak freely." Kang Dabao felt a chill run down his spine, but his smile remained warm, revealing his deep vigilance.

"This humble monk has a beloved consort. Her family originally cultivated in the Great Snow Mountain, but in recent years natural disasters have been severe, resulting in the deaths and injuries of many cultivators and mortals. Thus, they had the idea of moving to the Shannan Circuit to seek sustenance."

"Mingfei, secular family." Sect Leader Kang Da murmured these keywords to himself, beginning to ponder the deeper meaning behind the Buddhist disciple's words.

As the fence-sitting representative of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, which stood between the Wei and the Kuang, the Chan Master Gelie naturally sent a senior monk and several disciples to move Benying Original Response Temple to the outside of the Office of the Duke of Qin early on.

These Esoteric Buddhism Buddhist Xiu Ming outwardly disregard worldly affairs, focusing solely on their spiritual practice.

Although they never volunteered for any of the various tasks assigned by the Office of the Duke of Qin, the disciples of Original Response Temple, led by the upper cultivator, rarely refused if the people in the mansion asked them to do things for free.

Logically speaking, if Chan Master Gelie didn't want Crown Prince Kuang Liuting to harbor further dissatisfaction with Original Response Temple, having these disciples would be enough to demonstrate his stance, and there would be no need to worry too much.

Therefore, it is worth pondering what the Buddhist Gada's intention was in moving into this household.

"Could it be that there is a Zen master in Original Response Temple who is loyal to the Kuang Household family and has some dissatisfaction with Chan Master Gelie?!" When Kang Dabao thought of this, he immediately put on a serious expression again.

Kang Dabao naturally didn't want to get involved in so much karma, so he solemnly replied, "Cloud Horn Prefecture is a poor and remote border region; I'm afraid it may not suit the Buddha's wishes."

Seeing Kang Dabao's reaction, Gada felt a pang of regret, but at the same time, a hint of admiration appeared in his eyes. He smiled faintly and said:

"Sect Leader Kang, please don't misunderstand. They are just a respectable family; how could they possibly have spent so much on supplies? After they are sent here, you don't need to worry about them. If there is any battle, just let them do as they please. Even if there are heavy casualties, this humble monk will not hold a grudge."

"Well, please consider this further, Buddhist disciple."

Seeing that Sect Leader Kang Da's gaze was firm and unmoved, Gada knew that further persuasion was useless, so he had no choice but to speak up, "Since that's the case, I wonder if Sect Leader Kang could introduce the two seniors, Marquis of Fengcheng and Marquis of Gucheng, so that I may discuss this with them properly."

"Hmm," Kang Dabao hesitated for a moment, but still nodded. He took out a piece of spiritual silk, made a hand seal, and a piece of fine ink was ground. Before long, a hundred or so black seal characters covered the spiritual silk.

The spirit silk floated in mid-air, and with a flick of Kang Dabao's finger, it slowly swam into Gada's hand. The latter didn't even glance at it before putting it directly into his Storage Bag.

Having done all this, he felt there was no need to stay any longer. This trip hadn't been in vain; at least he now knew that Sect Leader Kang Da was not as easy to manipulate as he had imagined.

If we follow what the Zen master said before, all future actions may have to be carried out by this new favorite in the eyes of the current emperor. If that's the case, we can't just decide on things by patting our heads like before.

As the handsome Gada stepped out of the Chongming Sect, Sect Leader Kang Da felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. However, he did not stop there. Instead, he wrote another letter and sent it to Phoenix Cry Prefecture. Gada's request was quite strange, and the elders of the Fei Household needed to make careful preparations.

Meanwhile, neither of them knew that an old monk was hiding outside the Chongming Sect's mountain gate, watching Gada's gradually disappearing figure with a thoughtful expression.